[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”December 2023 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Advancing Christian Faith and Values,
Defending Religious Liberty for All,
Supporting Civility and the Common Good
through Preaching, Teaching, Writing,
Activism and Reasoned Conversations

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1304″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Charles Wesley (1707 – 1788)

Prolific hymnwriter (6500+ songs) who wrote
the most significant Christmas Carol we have—
“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!” (1739)
Tune by Felix Mendelssohn (1740)

Wesley also is remembered for great hymns such as:
“And Can It Be that I Should Gain?”
“Christ, the Lord, Is Risen Today”
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
“Rejoice, the Lord is King”
“Soldiers of Christ, Arise”
“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”

Message for Christmas Month –

“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!”

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

– Luke 2:6-18 (King James Version)

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Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’ angelic host proclaim
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!

Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with us to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn king!”

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Hail! the heav’n-born Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!

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Lessons from this Great Carol

This carol lifts up worship of Jesus. Christmas Season is gutted if we take away worshipping Jesus. This is far deeper than one city official’s call for avoiding green and red colors during the season lest it feel less inclusive.

The carol reminds us that, through Jesus’ life and ministry, God is “for us.”
“Reconciliation” is Christianity’s “Big Word.” “God and sinners reconciled.”
Reconciliation with God leads properly to reconciliation between people.

Fulfilling the prophecy (Malachi 4:2), Jesus came with healing and power over death. Born that we might have a “second birth” and “no more may die.”

At just the right time (Galatians 4:4), God’s Son enter our human existence as “offspring of a virgin’s womb.” “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see…” Though “being in very nature God” he took on “the very nature of a servant” and was “made in human likeness.” Being one of us, “he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV).

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The Great Disappearance
David Jeremiah’s new book

The TV ad for this book says, “When the Rapture occurs the world will capture the moment. The world will reel with concern from watching the strange mind-boggling and unbelievable video footage that goes across the world.”

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/5GSA/dr-david-jeremiah-the-great-disappearance

“Answers to Practical Questions About the Rapture”
– David Jeremiah’s blog

We don’t know if the Rapture could come ten years from now, tomorrow—or today.

But when it does come, everyone will know. It will be the Great Disappearance—the moment when billions of people suddenly vanish from the earth, along with billions of dead bodies returning to life and ascending to meet the Lord in the air.

…chaos will ensue on the earth.

What can we say about this book from the TV ad and blog?

It perpetuates an extra-biblical presumption (that is, it goes beyond the teaching of Scripture). The presumption is that the Rapture of the church is “The Great Disappearance,” a sudden vanishing of believers (not even a visible “rising” perhaps similar to Jesus’ ascension. The biblical description doesn’t convey this notion at all (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). It doesn’t even say where we will be when we, the resurrected and living, are “with the Lord forever.” Once we meet the Lord “in the air,” will Jesus turn around and take us to heaven, or will we turn around and escort our Lord to earth?

The first presumption leads to the second: “The Great Panic” (well depicted in the ad). Typical of this story-telling theme (such as shown in the movie “A Thief in the Night”), the sudden disappearance of Christians creates global chaos and leads to the emergence of a strong leader, the Antichrist, who offers solutions to the chaos (think of the burning of the Reichstag in 1933 and Hitler’s subsequent grasp of power). Dr. Jeremiah writes in the traditions of two prophecy teachers he esteems: Hal Lindsey and Tim LaHaye.

This Disappearance/Panic motif leads to some questions on my part:
• Why doesn’t the electronic device in the deliveryman’s hand disappear instead of falling to the ground? Everything else he has on his person (Wristwatch? Keys? Ring? Clothing? False teeth?) including a wristband disappear along with the deliveryman’s flesh and bones. What if the device had been in his pocket?
• Maybe God does not want the raptured saints to have any electronic devices, including cell phones. That’s a strong explanation!
• If I were not a Christian, wouldn’t I want to inquire of each pilot’s faith when boarding a plane? One Christian would be OK. Two, and I’m off this plane! Same goes for other situations where my life depends on the hands-on presence of a Christian.
• Wouldn’t this “disappearance panic,” if true at all, only apply to countries with large numbers of confessing/practicing Christians? Much of the world would go on without missing a beat.

But this is all fiction. At most, it is a speculative extra-biblical scenario. This kind of speculation has no spiritual-growth value and bears no resemblance to the simple biblical statements about Jesus’ return—statements that induce steadfastness and everyday practical godly living among true Christians.

Three scriptures that don’t support this scenario come to mind:

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 – “[God] will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.”

Clearly, the Church will receive relief from persecution when Jesus returns in power and glory. The Church’s relief from trouble doesn’t come through a rapture years before, when every believer suddenly just disappears.

Titus 2:12-13 – “…live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing [“epiphany”] of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…”

Not a separate previous “Rapture,” but the glorious Epiphany (splendid appearance) of Jesus at his Second Coming is “The Blessed Hope” that we eagerly await and that incentivizes us to live righteously. By the way, this “Epiphany” brings the Antichrist’s rule to its end (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

Hebrews 9:28 – “Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear [opsthēsetai] the second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

This is the only explicit mention in the Bible of the “second” appearance, or coming, of Christ. The text resembles Revelation 1:7 (“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see [ópsetai] him,”) whether they be the eyes of Jesus’ followers who eagerly await him or the eyes of those who have rejected him. There is no need to postulate some sort of chaos-creating mysterious sudden disappearance. All will behold him. Some will be caught unprepared, others are ready for his appearance (1 Thessalonians 5:3-5).

Is the Rapture “the central event in biblical prophecy”?

Jeremiah makes that claim in the book’s introduction. I won’t call this heresy, but it certainly conflicts with the Bible’s frequent emphatic words about Jesus’ Epiphany—his glorious Second Coming—the true “Central Event.”

A Personal Postscript

Over the past two years I have studied the topic of “The Rapture of the Church” extensively. My study has brought me to abandon my long-time embrace of a “Rapture of the Church” prior to “The Great Tribulation” in favor of seeing “rapture” scriptures fulfilled as part of the comprehensive “Second Coming of Christ” at the end of “The Great Tribulation.”

A further conclusion I’ve made is that this topic is a secondary or even tertiary doctrinal issue for which we can allow diversity of opinion and over which we ought not divide. We have “One Blessed Hope” (a primary doctrinal issue) even if we differ on the details!

My 36-page essay For Me, “The Rapture” Is Up in the Air is available to you.
If you “Reply” and request it, I’ll promptly email it to you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ohio Enshrines Abortion Rights into its State Constitution

As an Ohioan throughout my childhood and teenage years, I followed the recent vote on “Issue 1” closely. I was surprised that this measure passed. In fact, it passed 57% to 43%, with big support from the three major population regions of Cleveland (74%), Columbus (73%), and Cincinnati (65%).

Roughly speaking, “Issue 1” enshrined “Roe v. Wade” into the state’s constitution (see text at the end of this essay). “Roe v. Wade” was overturned last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. Thus, abortion rights were no longer considered as protected by the U.S. Constitution (specifically, as a “right to privacy” found in the “penumbra” of the Constitution).

Now it becomes a matter for each state to decide. Some have adopted stricter laws against abortion (Ohio had a “heartbeat” law, essentially banning abortion after five weeks of pregnancy). California, where I’ve resided since 1970, in contrast proudly proclaimed itself a “Destination State” for abortion rights, encouraging women desiring an abortion to come to California for it if their own state hindered them in any way. Some businesses offer money to cover travel to states like California.

How could “Issue 1” pass in a state seen as “pro-life” by many?
• Some may have believed the “heartbeat” law was too restrictive.
• Karl Rove in The Wall Street Journal says Republicans “tried to game the system with an August referendum raising the threshold for amending the state’s constitution, which voters soundly rejected. Then they didn’t offer an alternative to the unlimited-abortion proposal…”
• Money poured in by the tens of millions—most to push for “Issue 1.”
• Many wanted to return to the Roe v. Wade permissiveness on abortion.
• Many voters, like some of my relatives, prefer the state stay out of matters they consider to be “personal” or “private.”

I don’t know for sure. I do know that many in the Right to Life movement need to examine to what extent absolutism on moral issues (which is fine) can be enshrined in secular law (which reflects pluralism). This effort requires “doing politics.” If we insist on the whole pie, we will often get no pie at all.
And, without washing our hands of political action (it is very necessary), we need to recommit to public actions that bear witness to our faith—including the conviction that life is an unalienable right and gift from our Creator.

Listen to this good counsel:

The passage of Issue 1 shows that there remains a desperate need for conversion of hearts and minds to a culture of life in our country, one that respects the inherent dignity and sacredness of every human being from conception to natural death. This conversion will come about only through earnest prayer and the witness of our compassionate care for the most vulnerable among us — immigrants, the poor, the elderly, preborn children, and women in need.
– Dennis Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati
(National Catholic Register, Nov. 10, 2023)

Article I, Section 22. The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety

A. Every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to decisions on:
1. contraception;
2. fertility treatment;
3. continuing one’s own pregnancy;
4. miscarriage care; and
5. abortion.

B. The State shall not, directly or indirectly, burden, penalize, prohibit, interfere with, or discriminate against either:
1. An individual’s voluntary exercise of this right or
2. A person or entity that assists an individual exercising this right, unless the State demonstrates that it is using the least restrictive means to advance the individual’s health in accordance with widely accepted and evidence-based standards of care.

However, abortion may be prohibited after fetal viability. But in no case may such an abortion be prohibited if in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician it is necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.
C. As used in this Section:
1. “Fetal viability” means “the point in a pregnancy when, in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician, the fetus has a significant likelihood of survival outside the uterus with reasonable measures. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.”
2. “State” includes any governmental entity and any political subdivision.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Israeli Airstrike Hits St. Porphyrius Church

It is no secret that Hamas has embedded its personnel and weapons amongst the civilian population and near to structures like hospitals. Such was the situation when Hamas chose to place its rocket and mortar launch command post near St. Porphyrius Church.

St. Porphyrius brought Christianity to this region and served as Bishop of Gaza (395-420 AD). Tradition has his body buried at the church in Gaza City that bears his name. The church site dates back to 425 AD. It is the third oldest active church in the world. The current sanctuary was built by Crusaders around 1150 AD. It has undergone many renovations, especially in 1856.

St. Porphyrius church was severely damaged by the October 20 Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military acknowledged the air strike, which targeted the nearby Hamas rocket and mortar launch command post. The church’s chapel survived the attack, but the airstrikes destroyed other parts of the compound.

As many as 500 people had taken refuge at the site, sleeping on mattresses throughout the compound’s seven buildings and using three bathrooms. It is estimated that 380 of the refugees were Christian and the rest Muslim. The known death toll from the airstrikes was eighteen Christians and two Muslims, not counting bodies still buried in the rubble. The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem strongly condemned the attack.

Only 1000 Christians remain in Gaza, their numbers devastated under Hamas rule.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]An Abiding Concern of a Great Scholar

Will (1885-1981) and Ariel (1898-1981) Durant produced over their scholastic lifetimes the massive 11-volume The Story of Civilization. It was one of the first sets to go into my professional library, added while I was in graduate school. Prolific writers, in 1968 they wrote The Lessons of History, a summary of historic trends.

Will became a skeptic from reading Darwin, and dropped out of training for the priesthood. “The simple faith of my childhood faded away when I discovered that I was just a monkey with pants,” he said on a 1978 talk show.

He saw himself as a person with a Christian ethic though without a Christian faith. He warned: “Our children are living without this residue—in the shadow of a shadow.”

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Don has been a member of the clergy in the Long Beach, California area since 1970. He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Grace Community Church of Seal Beach (where he was senior pastor 1984-2012) and as Senior Chaplain of the Seal Beach Police Department (2001+). He previously was an assistant professor of Biblical Studies at Biola University (1976-84) and chaired the Social Concerns Committee in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches from 1985 to 2019.

His graduate work includes a Master of Divinity magna cum laude from Grace Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary with a concentration in Christian ethics, and a Doctor of Ministry from American Baptist Seminary of the West (now Berkeley School of Theology) with a concentration on the Charismatic Movement. His law school studies included a course on the First Amendment. He and his wife Mary have been married for 57 years. They have two children and six grandchildren.

© 2023 Donald P. Shoemaker

“When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

A Very Merry Christmas to All!

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